


Nefarious Purposes

by sapphose



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Only One Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:08:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27253195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphose/pseuds/sapphose
Summary: After being kidnapped by the Dominion and Section 31, Julian Bashir is nervous about going to medical conferences without protection. Luckily, Garak is willing to come along, although it turns out that Garak has his own ideas about what constitutes a threat.For Trektober Day #28: Shore Leave
Relationships: Julian Bashir/Elim Garak
Comments: 26
Kudos: 119





	Nefarious Purposes

**Author's Note:**

> If you don't follow me on Tumblr, you can see my other Trektober posts at sapphosewrites.tumblr.com/tagged/trektober-2020. I've posted something nearly every day.

“Doctor.” Garak’s voice was far too close to his ear. “Look at the woman three rows up, to the left, wearing the silver dress.”

Julian looked, feeling very obvious as he did so. If anyone saw him and Garak whispering and staring at their fellow passengers on the transport, they were going to look at best catty and at worst up to no good.

“What about her?” he hissed back.

“I believe she’s had cosmetic surgery recently.”

“That isn’t a crime, Garak.”

“Most likely to conceal distinguishing features or alter her apparent species,” Garak went on, as if Julian hadn’t said anything. “She was on the last shuttle with us as well.”

“So were a half a dozen others,” Julian pointed out.

“You asked me to keep you safe, Doctor. That includes identifying anyone suspicious.”

“You’re being paranoid.”

“The best way to stay safe,” Garak countered.

Julian did not dignify this with a response.

The security risk was a real concern, at least in his mind. Since two different medical conferences had resulted in his kidnapping, once by the Dominion and once by Section 31, he was loath to attend another alone. Sisko had offered Worf or a security officer as company, but Julian balked at the idea. Having someone stern-faced at his side, always with one hand near their phaser, was going to make all of his presentations awkward in the extreme.

So, he took matters into his own hands, and after a week of heavy hinting Garak had graciously offered to come with him. Julian had been proud of that solution. Garak was perfectly able to protect him from just about anything, but also fun to be around.

Julian had forgotten the paranoia.

“Mark my words,” Garak warned. “She’s going to approach you within the hour.”

Which was all very well and good for Garak to say, because he settled in and closed his eyes right afterwards. Of course he wasn’t sleeping- he never slept when other people were around- but he gave the impression of being entirely relaxed and at ease.

Julian sat and picked at his fingernails, occasionally glancing over at the woman, who looked as human as he did.

Fifteen minutes later, his heart stopped when she stood and began walking down the aisle, but she was only making her way to the refresher at the back of the transport.

Garak didn’t open his eyes, but a small smile made Julian suspect that he knew exactly what had happened. Just in case, Julian elbowed him for being smug.

In the end, Garak was proven right. The woman passed them on her way back to her seat, then turned and offered a friendly grin.

“Pardon me,” she began. “But aren’t you Dr. Bashir?”

That was a nerve-wracking beginning, these days, ever since _Dr. Bashir_ became a byword for _genetically enhanced_.

Garak opened his eyes.

“Yes,” Julian admitted, trying not to look nervous.

“How wonderful! I was so hoping I’d get to meet you. I’m Fiona Gray.” She extended her hand, and Julian shook it in relief.

“Are you also presenting at the conference?”

“Oh no, not me. I’m just here to learn. I’m a starship nurse, on the Valor. I’ll be sure to go to your talk.” She squeezed his hand. “I hope we get to see _much_ more of each other.”

Finally, far too late for it to be anything but deliberate, Fiona released his hand and returned to her seat.

Julian looked at Garak triumphantly.

“Perfectly innocent,” he said. Garak rolled his eyes.

“Do you expect all possible assailants to introduce themselves as such? You’re very easily fooled, Doctor.”

Julian did not dignify this with a response. Instead, he looked over at Fiona again, and wondered how much of him exactly she wanted to see.

***

“I’m so sorry,” the receptionist apologized. “It looks like there’s been a mistake.”

“I should say there’s been a mistake,” Julian agreed angrily. “I specifically said I was bringing a guest.”

“Yes, but when you said the guest was not a fellow officer or medical professional, the clerk must have assumed it was a spouse or partner.”

“Can’t you find us another room?”

“We’re all booked up for the conference, sir. I can have a cot delivered, if you’d like.”

“ _Please_.”

While the receptionist began entering commands into her computer, Julian turned and glared at Garak, who looked insultingly chipper.

“You’re enjoying yourself,” Julian accused.

“Forgive me, Doctor, but I am. This is what comes of putting a Denobulan in charge of accommodations. They assume everyone is together. A Cardassian would never make a mistake like this with records.”

“Just like a Cardassian would never mistake a woman flirting with me for a potential assassin?”

“That was not a mistake,” Garak said with confidence. Julian felt a strong urge to cancel the order for the cot and let Garak sleep on the floor. The man was being insufferable.

The door opened, and a familiar blond woman stepped into the room.

“Dr. Bashir, what a surprise! Are you staying here too?” Fiona batted her eyelashes.

Julian ignored Garak and walked towards her.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I am.”

“How exciting! Maybe we’ll be able to eat together at some point. I heard the hotel restaurant has wonderful Risian rolls.” She giggled.

Julian made eye contact with her, but imagined eyes in the back of his head shooting daggers at Garak.

“It would be my pleasure to share a meal with you. I’ll just-”

“Dear, who is this? Oh, Miss Gray, from the transport! What a coincidence, seeing you here.”

A cool arm insinuated itself around Julian’s waist, and Garak smiled brightly at him.

Cardassians were not telepathic, but that did not stop Julian from thinking _bugger off_ as loudly as he could.

“Oh.” Fiona’s eyes flashed between Julian and Garak in confusion. “Who are you?”

“My name is Garak. A tailor by profession, although I’m here only to enjoy the company of my husband.”

“Husband?” Fiona and Julian repeated in unison.

“Yes,” said Garak. If he had been enjoying himself before, he was positively gleeful now. “Well, fiance, but I like to say it amounts to the same thing.”

***

Later, in their shared room, Julian asked if that had been to protect him.

“Of course. She was obviously trying to get you alone for nefarious purposes,” Garak said.

Julian did not believe him for one second. Her purposes, he was convinced, were only as nefarious as Garak’s own.

The only thing left to do was to get Garak to admit it.

“Which position do you prefer in bed, Garak?” Julian stood tall, arms folded across his chest, the barest hint of a smile on his lips. A challenge. “Right or left?”

Neither of them backed down from a challenge.

“The gentlemanly thing to do would be to offer to sleep on the cot yourself,” Garak admonished.

“I never claimed to be a gentleman.” The smile bloomed, distinctly roguish in nature.

“Then I suppose I’m willing to be- flexible, Doctor.” The pause was slight, easily dismissed, but Julian caught it and clutched it.

“I’d like to see that,” Julian said.

He was doing his best to smolder.

Garak’s own smile was knowing, but for him that was almost a default expression.

“Clothes off first, my dear. Don't you have sleepwear in the Federation?”

Pajamas were the furthest thing from Garak's mind, and they both knew it, but they were determined not to be the one to say it out loud first.

Julian decided to escalate. He yanked his shirt off in one smooth motion, then tossed it onto the bed for dramatic effect.

“Slowly,” Garak requested. “If you move too quickly, you’ll wrinkle the fabric.”

Wrinkles indeed. Julian reached down and began to unbuckle his trousers, _slowly_.

Julian fully intended to enjoy himself on this trip. If Garak wasn't going to let him get laid by anyone else, then Garak was going to have to do the noble thing and fuck Julian himself. (This was, Julian suspected, what Garak had been aiming for anyways.)

**Author's Note:**

> If you do follow me on Tumblr, the end will look familiar to you, because it's what I wrote for Trektober Day #8. I'm not 100% pleased with how it fits into this, but the one-shot needed some kind of ending and that was available.


End file.
